Balotelli running out of Anfield lives

The £16million striker would only have been a substitute against Arsenal and would even have been behind Daniel Sturridge, who also started on the bench, in the pecking order.

Though Rodgers did not question Balotelli’s commitment, the player has been a constant source of frustration this season. And the Reds boss revealed the striker, who still has another three years to run on his contract, did not travel after sustaining an injury on Friday.

“He trained on Friday afternoon with the team and he took a slight knock to his knee and he deemed himself not able to travel” said Rodgers.

“I’ m not a medic. He felt it was too sore to travel. The medical staff have looked at it. It was just something that he himself didn’ t feel comfortable enough to travel.”